Senate Agrees To Add Montco Judge

The state Senate approved a bill on Tuesday adding 31 judges to 18 county courts in Pennsylvania, including one more in Montgomery County.

The bill, which was adopted 35-13, now moves to the House.

Democrats put up a strong fight to the bill, complaining the state failed to fully fund the cost of adding the new judges, leaving cash-strapped counties to pay the tab.

The Senate defeated three attempts by Sen. Leonard J. Bodack, D-Allegheny County, to amend the bill in an effort to force the state to pay the total cost or remove the additional judges from counties that don't want them.

"We're asking our various counties to impose possibly another real estate tax or an increase in real estate taxes in order to pay for this unfunded mandate," he warned.

Republicans, however, argued that the bill is not another "unfunded mandate" that public officials -- from city councilmen to state senators -- have been screaming about.

"This is not an unfunded mandate," Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf, R-Montgomery County, said. "This is a process in which we are funding a substantial portion of the costs and all of the salary of these judges."

Under the bill, the state will reimburse counties $70,000 annually and pay for the judges' salaries.

To pay the total costs of additional staff and other expenses, Greenleaf reasoned, would open a "Pandora's box," enticing every county to ask for 10 new judges.

Democrats, however, argued that the bill will cost counties hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and, in the case of Lehigh County, nearly $1 million.

But some counties have pressed for additional judges, citing their increased caseloads.